We demonstrate refractive-index sensors based on copper-rod-supported microfiber loops. Due to the robustness of the supported loop structure and the flexibility of obtaining critical coupling within a broad spectral range, these microfiber loops show high sensitivity and high stability for sensing in both low- and high-concentration solutions with estimated sensitivity of refractive-index measurement up to 1.8×10-5.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

1. J. Y. Lou, L. M. Tong and Z. Z. Ye, "Modeling of silica nanowires for optical sensing," Opt. Express 13, 2135-2140 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-13-6-2135. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. P. Polynkin, A. Polynkin, N. Peyghambarian, and M. Mansuripur, "Evanescent field-based optical fiber sensing device for measuring the refractive index of liquids in microfluidic channels," Opt. Lett. 30, 1273-1275 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. V. P. Minkovich, J. Villatoro, D. Monzón-Hernández, S. Calixto, A. B. Sotsky, and L. I. Sotskaya, "Holey fiber tapers with resonance transmission for high-resolution refractive index sensing," Opt. Express 13, 7609-7614 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-13-19-7609. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. W. Liang, Y. Huang, Y. Xu, R. K. Lee, and A. Yariv, "Highly sensitive fiber Bragg grating refractive index sensors," Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 151122 (2005). [CrossRef]
5. D. Monzón-Hernández and J. Villatoro, "High-resolution refractive index sensing by means of a multiple-peak surface plasmon resonance optical fiber sensor," Sens. Actuators B 115, 227-231, (2006). [CrossRef]
6. I. M. White, H. Oveys, and X. D. Fan, "Liquid-core optical ring-resonator sensors," Opt. Lett. 31, 1319-1321 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. M. Sumetsky, R. S. Windeler, Y. Dulashko, and X. D. Fan, "Optical liquid ring resonator sensor," Opt. Express 15, 14376-14381 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-22-14376. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. M. Sumetsky, Y. Dulashko, and R. S. Windeler, "Temperature and pressure compensated microfluidic optical sensor," in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, (San Jose, 4-9 May 2008), pp. 1-2.
9. L. Shi, Y. H. Xu, W. Tan, and X. F. Chen, "Simulation of optical microfiber loop resonators for ambient refractive index sensing," Sensors 7, 689-696 (2007). [CrossRef]
10. F. Xu, V. Pruneri, V. Finazzi, and G. Brambilla, "An embedded optical nanowire loop resonator refractometric sensor," Opt. Express 16, 1062-1067 (2008), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-2-1062. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. G. Vienne, P. Grelu, X. Y. Pan, Y. H. Li, and L. M. Tong, "Theoretical study of microfiber resonator devices exploiting a phase shift," J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 10, 025303 (2008). [CrossRef]
12. F. Xu, P. Horak, and G. Brambilla, "Optical microfiber coil resonator refractometric sensor," Opt. Express 15, 7888-7893 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-12-7888. F. Xu and G. Brambilla, "Demonstration of a refractometric sensor based on optical microfiber coil resonator," Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 101126 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. M. Sumetsky, Y. Dulashko, J. M. Fini, A. Hale, and D. J. DiGiovanni, "The Microfiber Loop Resonator: Theory, Experiment, and Application," J. Lightw. Technol. 24, 242-250 (2006). [CrossRef]
14. J. Villatoro and D. Monzón-Hernández, "Fast detection of hydrogen with nano fiber tapers coated with ultra thin palladium layers," Opt. Express 13, 5087-5092 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-13-13-5087. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. F. Warken, E. Vetsch, D. Meschede, M. Sokolowski, and A. Rauschenbeutel, "Ultra-sensitive surface absorption spectroscopy using sub-wavelength diameter optical fibers," Opt. Express 15, 11952-11958 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-19-11952. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. A. V. Wolf, M. G. Brown, and P. G. Prentiss, "Concentration properties of aqueous solution: conversion tables," in CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, R. C. Weast, M. J. Astle, ed. (CRC Press, INC., Boca Ration, Fla., 1982-1983).
17. P. R. Cooper, "Refractive-Index measurements of liquids used in conjunction with optical fibers," Appl. Opt. 22, 3070-3072 (1983). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
18. X. Guo, Y. H. Li, X. S. Jiang, and L. M. Tong, "Demonstration of critical coupling in microfiber loops wrapped around a copper rod," Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 073512 (2007). [CrossRef]
19. I. M. White and X. D. Fan, "On the performance quantification of resonant refractive index sensors," Opt. Express 16, 1020-1028 (2008), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-2-1020. [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Opt.

• P. R. Cooper, "Refractive-Index measurements of liquids used in conjunction with optical fibers," Appl. Opt. 22, 3070-3072 (1983). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• X. Guo, Y. H. Li, X. S. Jiang, and L. M. Tong, "Demonstration of critical coupling in microfiber loops wrapped around a copper rod," Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 073512 (2007). [CrossRef]
• F. Xu, P. Horak, and G. Brambilla, "Optical microfiber coil resonator refractometric sensor," Opt. Express 15, 7888-7893 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-12-7888. F. Xu and G. Brambilla, "Demonstration of a refractometric sensor based on optical microfiber coil resonator," Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 101126 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. Liang, Y. Huang, Y. Xu, R. K. Lee, and A. Yariv, "Highly sensitive fiber Bragg grating refractive index sensors," Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 151122 (2005). [CrossRef]

J. Lightw. Technol.

• M. Sumetsky, Y. Dulashko, J. M. Fini, A. Hale, and D. J. DiGiovanni, "The Microfiber Loop Resonator: Theory, Experiment, and Application," J. Lightw. Technol. 24, 242-250 (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt.

• G. Vienne, P. Grelu, X. Y. Pan, Y. H. Li, and L. M. Tong, "Theoretical study of microfiber resonator devices exploiting a phase shift," J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 10, 025303 (2008). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• J. Villatoro and D. Monzón-Hernández, "Fast detection of hydrogen with nano fiber tapers coated with ultra thin palladium layers," Opt. Express 13, 5087-5092 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-13-13-5087. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• F. Warken, E. Vetsch, D. Meschede, M. Sokolowski, and A. Rauschenbeutel, "Ultra-sensitive surface absorption spectroscopy using sub-wavelength diameter optical fibers," Opt. Express 15, 11952-11958 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-19-11952. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• I. M. White and X. D. Fan, "On the performance quantification of resonant refractive index sensors," Opt. Express 16, 1020-1028 (2008), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-2-1020. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• F. Xu, V. Pruneri, V. Finazzi, and G. Brambilla, "An embedded optical nanowire loop resonator refractometric sensor," Opt. Express 16, 1062-1067 (2008), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-2-1062. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. Y. Lou, L. M. Tong and Z. Z. Ye, "Modeling of silica nanowires for optical sensing," Opt. Express 13, 2135-2140 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-13-6-2135. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• V. P. Minkovich, J. Villatoro, D. Monzón-Hernández, S. Calixto, A. B. Sotsky, and L. I. Sotskaya, "Holey fiber tapers with resonance transmission for high-resolution refractive index sensing," Opt. Express 13, 7609-7614 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-13-19-7609. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Sumetsky, R. S. Windeler, Y. Dulashko, and X. D. Fan, "Optical liquid ring resonator sensor," Opt. Express 15, 14376-14381 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-22-14376. [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• I. M. White, H. Oveys, and X. D. Fan, "Liquid-core optical ring-resonator sensors," Opt. Lett. 31, 1319-1321 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. Polynkin, A. Polynkin, N. Peyghambarian, and M. Mansuripur, "Evanescent field-based optical fiber sensing device for measuring the refractive index of liquids in microfluidic channels," Opt. Lett. 30, 1273-1275 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Sens. Actuators B

• D. Monzón-Hernández and J. Villatoro, "High-resolution refractive index sensing by means of a multiple-peak surface plasmon resonance optical fiber sensor," Sens. Actuators B 115, 227-231, (2006). [CrossRef]

Sensors

• L. Shi, Y. H. Xu, W. Tan, and X. F. Chen, "Simulation of optical microfiber loop resonators for ambient refractive index sensing," Sensors 7, 689-696 (2007). [CrossRef]

Other

• A. V. Wolf, M. G. Brown, and P. G. Prentiss, "Concentration properties of aqueous solution: conversion tables," in CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, R. C. Weast, M. J. Astle, ed. (CRC Press, INC., Boca Ration, Fla., 1982-1983).
• M. Sumetsky, Y. Dulashko, and R. S. Windeler, "Temperature and pressure compensated microfluidic optical sensor," in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, (San Jose, 4-9 May 2008), pp. 1-2.

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